Once the dust settles, the flags are folded, and the pundits finish screaming into their microphones, the real question emerges – not in think tanks, but in bars, group chats, and cynical op-eds:

What’s next?

After Venezuela, does Trump light up a Cuban cigar – nostalgic, forbidden, Cold War–flavored?
Or does he sip Colombian coffee – dark, bitter, complicated, and best consumed with a DEA briefing?

Because if there’s one thing Donald Trump has taught the world, it’s this:
he doesn’t conduct foreign policy.
He curates a menu.

Venezuela Wasn’t a Shock. It Was a Reminder.

Venezuela was never about democracy.
Or freedom.
Or the Venezuelan people – who haven’t been consulted about anything since before Twitter existed.

It was about something far simpler and far more American:
clarity.

A failed socialist state.
Oil.
Chaos.
An enemy easy to explain in one sentence.

That’s not a policy dilemma – that’s a campaign poster.

Trump didn’t “invade” Venezuela.
He rebranded it.

Trump Doesn’t Look for Wars. He Looks for Headlines.

Contrary to liberal mythology, Trump doesn’t wake up dreaming of conquest.
He wakes up craving impact.

He wants:

• a clean villain
• a decisive move
• a strong visual
• and a sentence that fits on a phone screen

Long-term stabilization?
That’s for bureaucrats.

Trump trades in moments, not processes.
And Venezuela delivered the perfect one.

Option One: Cuba – The Cigar That Lost Its Flavor

Cuba is tempting.

It has:

• vintage communism
• aging generals
• nostalgic symbolism
• and a built-in Fox News audience

Toppling the “last relic of the Cold War” sounds heroic – until you realize no one’s really scared of Cuba anymore.

No oil.
No new drama.
No economic payoff.

Cuba is a great story – but it’s an old one.
Trump prefers fresh content.

Option Two: Colombia – Coffee, Cartels, and Moral Discomfort

Colombia is trickier.

It’s not a cartoon villain.
It’s an ally.
With drug networks, armed groups, and problems that don’t fit into red vs. blue.

That means:

• nuance
• diplomacy
• and consequences

Three things Trump has never ordered.

Gray zones don’t sell.
And Colombia is nothing but gray.

The Unsexy Truth: Trump Isn’t Coming for Anyone – Everyone Is Adjusting to Him

Here’s what most commentary misses:

The world isn’t waiting to see who Trump attacks next.
It’s waiting to see how not to become the next Venezuela.

That operation wasn’t a legal precedent.
It was a psychological one.

The message was simple:

Be weak.
Be isolated.
Be loudly anti-American.
And make it easy to explain.

That’s the shortlist.

Trump’s Real Weapon Isn’t the Military – It’s Uncertainty with Branding

Trump doesn’t need another invasion.
He needs the perception that he might.

A little chaos.
A lot of noise.
Some deals.
Some threats.

Enough to keep allies nervous and enemies guessing.

This isn’t strategy.
It’s dominance theater.

And it works – not because it’s subtle, but because it’s relentless.

Final Sip: The World Isn’t Afraid of Trump – It’s Exhausted by Him

Trump isn’t scary because he’s unpredictable.
He’s scary because he’s predictably transactional.

He goes for:

• the easy target
• the clean narrative
• the fast win

Not complexity.
Not moral perfection.
Not long-term healing.

So what’s he ordering next – cigars or coffee?

Neither.

He’s ordering another headline.

And the world, once again, is checking the menu to make sure it’s not listed as today’s special.